Mildred Alleen Morris Watt

The Lead Guitarist and voice of the Golden Okies, Mildred Alleen Watt, has died. After 93 years of making music and raising five children, she died peacefully with family by her side on February 15, 2017. She was born in Norman, Oklahoma, on July 27, 1923, to Charlie and Perilee Morris. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Albert Watt and Don Chesser; and her brothers and sisters, Ernest Morris, Loren Morris, Vivian Kidd, Esther Vickers, and Idell Burks.

Alleen married Albert Watt in 1940. She is survived by their five children: Jim and Nancy Watt; Jerry and Vreni Watt; Jack and Letty Watt; John and Jeannette Watt, Jeanne and Steve Richert; along with 15 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren.

Alleen inherited her father’s talent as a musician and learned to play the guitar, piano, and fiddle by ear. She accompanied her brother Ernest to fiddle competitions and played the guitar. Alleen excelled in school and dreamed of being a teacher. She wrote songs and sent them in for competition as a teenager at Norman High School where she graduated in 1940.

She worked in the candy department of TG & Y which her children thought was her best job, since she brought candy home for them. Then she spent 30 years with SW Bell/ATT working and holding the family together, and in retirement of 30 years she led the band The Golden Okies. They played gospel, classic country, and toe-tapping tunes for a variety of venues throughout the state. She and her band received numerous awards and honors from the Norman Veterans Center, Aging Services, Norman Senior Citizens Center, Rose Rock Villa, J.D McCarty Center, and Arbor House. Alleen believed that music could start a conversation, and she loved to talk and help others. She thought that sugar could cure any problems, and taught her grandchildren that chocolate is best served at breakfast with coffee.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at 1:00 Thursday, February 23, 2017, at Primrose Funeral Service Chapel located at 1109 North Porter in Norman, Oklahoma. Burial will follow in the Norman IOOF Cemetery.